# So are we an independent organization now, or are we still owned by that newspaper? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [December 23, 2023, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-are-we-an-independent-organization-now-or-are-we-still-owned-by-that-newspaper/995024 "2023-12-23T04:05:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2023, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-are-we-an-independent-organization-now-or-are-we-still-owned-by-that-newspaper/995024/1 "2023-12-23T04:05:34Z")
Sorry, I’ve been really out of the loop. All I can recall is some threads from 3-4 years ago. Are we now independently funded and owned, or are we still affiliated with, or on the budget, of that newspaper/website? (can’t recall the name) “We” = this message board ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2023, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-are-we-an-independent-organization-now-or-are-we-still-owned-by-that-newspaper/995024/2 "2023-12-23T04:14:30Z")
Straight Dope is owned by the Chicago Reader, which is owned by the Chicago Sun-Times, which is owned by Chicago Public Media. CPM owns WBEZ and other public radio stations, the Sun-Times, and produces a bunch of programing. It’s all not-for-profit. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2023, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-are-we-an-independent-organization-now-or-are-we-still-owned-by-that-newspaper/995024/3 "2023-12-23T05:43:22Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > It’s all not-for-profit Then we must be doing _great!_😄 ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2023, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-are-we-an-independent-organization-now-or-are-we-still-owned-by-that-newspaper/995024/4 "2023-12-23T06:44:31Z")
According to wikipedia, the sale to Chicago Public Media (CPM) went through in January 2022. CPM owns 3 NPR stations and produces _This American Life_. Donations are tax deductible since it is a 501c(3): purchase of the Chicago Sun-Times was backed by a constellation of philanthropic organizations and viewers like you. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2023, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-are-we-an-independent-organization-now-or-are-we-still-owned-by-that-newspaper/995024/5 "2023-12-23T08:14:45Z")
As I always say to PBS when they announce “and viewers like you” I’ll say “You’re welcome. Anytime. I’m sure.” ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2023, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-are-we-an-independent-organization-now-or-are-we-still-owned-by-that-newspaper/995024/6 "2023-12-23T08:33:32Z")
So you’re telling me we’re part of NPR? Where do I get my complimentary tote bag? ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2023, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-are-we-an-independent-organization-now-or-are-we-still-owned-by-that-newspaper/995024/7 "2023-12-23T09:06:22Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > It’s all not-for-profit. But we make it up in volume! ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2023, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-are-we-an-independent-organization-now-or-are-we-still-owned-by-that-newspaper/995024/8 "2023-12-24T01:05:55Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > So you’re telling me we’re part of NPR? In my mind it’s like being a small sandwich shop owned by a guy who also owns a few McDonald’s franchises. That doesn’t mean you’re now part of McDonald’s. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2023, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-are-we-an-independent-organization-now-or-are-we-still-owned-by-that-newspaper/995024/9 "2023-12-24T03:44:10Z")
We’re “independent” in the same way an anthill in the sidewalk in front of your house is independent. It may have been there, unnoticed, for many years, yet no matter how busily the ants scurry around, at any moment the owners might clomp down with their tremendous foot and send them into oblivion. At least it will be quick. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2023, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-are-we-an-independent-organization-now-or-are-we-still-owned-by-that-newspaper/995024/10 "2023-12-24T03:49:38Z")
So if the Sun-Tribune finds out we exist and cost them $4,000 a year, they’ll shut the boards down? We’ve been here all along because accountants never looked at the books closely enough? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2023, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-are-we-an-independent-organization-now-or-are-we-still-owned-by-that-newspaper/995024/11 "2023-12-24T03:51:57Z")
It was possible and sometimes imminent when we were just owned by the Chicago Reader, and now we are two bureaucracies farther from the top. I can’t believe that we’re still here to speculate. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2023, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-are-we-an-independent-organization-now-or-are-we-still-owned-by-that-newspaper/995024/12 "2023-12-24T06:10:35Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > We’ve been here all along because accountants never looked at the books closely enough? [![](https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/dd4f2296-2186-45d6-b42a-10966b4f9263_text.gif) ](https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/dd4f2296-2186-45d6-b42a-10966b4f9263_text.gif) ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2023, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-are-we-an-independent-organization-now-or-are-we-still-owned-by-that-newspaper/995024/13 "2023-12-24T06:27:32Z")
I asked same question a couple years ago. > [@Are we doomed? Will the SDMB die under the new ownership?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-doomed-will-the-sdmb-die-under-the-new-ownership/951883): > > So now there’s a new owner of the StraightDope. And in the [thread about it](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-sun-times-to-be-acquired-by-wbez-chicagos-npr-radio-station/951700/19) most of the posts are light-hearted and optimistic. But me, well…I’m wondering about the potential for disaster. From older threads, it seems like this site is in danger of being cancelled. There has always been a huge amount of secrecy about who owns this site,who manages it, who pays for it, who profits from it, and why they still let it operate. But from reading between the lines in those older threads, I got the … And, yeah, I really think that the only reason we still exist is that nobody who wears a suit knows we are here. The monthly fee to Discourse is probably ignored by the accountants, as part of the IT department’s usual expenses for subscriptions to Microsoft and anti-virus companies,etc. And there is probably nobody from the SDMB who has ever been physically present in the office at the same time as the suits and accountants. So…Shhhh… Let’s speak in whispers and hope they never find out. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2024, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-are-we-an-independent-organization-now-or-are-we-still-owned-by-that-newspaper/995024/14 "2024-01-01T00:22:45Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Where do I get my complimentary tote bag? I dunno… if we finally become able again to pay our Sustaining, erm, Charter Memberships, TPTB may be able to look into that. And we’d probably get at best some dust-covered surplus Car Talk swag. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2024, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-are-we-an-independent-organization-now-or-are-we-still-owned-by-that-newspaper/995024/15 "2024-01-01T23:05:57Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > > [@Smapti](#): > > > > Where do I get my complimentary tote bag? > > I dunno… if we finally become able again to pay our Sustaining, erm, Charter Memberships, TPTB may be able to look into that. And we’d probably get at best some dust-covered surplus Car Talk swag Aw, man! I was hoping for Nina Totenberg to sing me “Happy Birthday”.